Automatic train-stopping mechanism.



G. w. BRowNELL. AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOPPING MCHANISM. APPLICATION FILED DEC. SAI, IQIS'IRENEWEDIAAB. 29, 1915.

1,140,109. Patented May 18, 1915.

a SHEETS-SHEET Num ATT NEI/' THE NDRRIS PETERS CD.. PHOTO-LITHO.. WSHINGTUN. D. C.

G. W. BROWNELL. AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOPPlNG MECHANISNI. APPLICATION HLEDDEC. 31, 191s.1 nenewzo MAR", 29,1915. 1,140,109.

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A77' NEYS Patented May 18, 1915.

THE NDRRS PETERS C0.. PHOTGd-ITHD. WASHINGTON. DA C.

G. W. BRWNELL.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOPPING N IECHANlSNl. APPLICATION FILED Dic. 31, ISIS. RENEwEn MAR. 29. I9I5.

1,140,109. Patented May 18, 1915.

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GEORGE W. BROWNELL, 0F ST. LALBANS, VERMONT.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-STOPPING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led December 31, 1913, Serial No. 809,779. Renewed March 29, 1915. v Serial No. 17,894.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. BRowNELL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at St. Albans, in the county of Franklin and State of Vermont, have invented a new and useful Automatic Train- Stopping Mechanism for Railroads, of which the following is a specification. My invention relates to automatic trainstopping mechanisms in which means are provided for operating the air-brakes of a locomotive and train automatically when the danger signal is set; and the objects of my invention are: 1st. To provide automatic means for the gradual stopping 4of a train by the gradual and easy operation of the brakes in one or several stages, by one or several successive applications of the airbrakes on the train, without the act of the engineer. 2nd. To provide means whereby the setting of a danger signal will automatically set the brake devices for action, `by

Vthe train passing a predetermined point.

3rd. VTo provide means whereby the engineer may atwill resume control of the train and releaseA the automatic brake device or apply the brakes himself independent of the automatic device. L1th. To provide means for accomplishing all the objects herein which will act eiciently as proposed in all conditions of weather andl of track,`all swaying of the engine or train, all movements of the engine forward or backward, or when more engines than one are in the train, so that both engines or either may be set to respond to the danger signal, or either may be cut out, and will not endanger the engineer or operatives, or passengers, or those who may be on or near the track. 5th. To provide means for accomplishing the foregoing objects which are simple, durable, effective, and of low cost, which will operate upon the train line air-pipe lwithout interfering with the ordinary management of the brake system by the engineer.

Other objects will appear from the hereinafter description. i

I attain these objects by themechanism illustrated in Athe accompanying drawings, in whichv Figure l is a side elevation of a part of a locomotive, including a part of the frame adjacentl to the cab, a driving wheel, yand,

nism, with its trip and track detent, and

Patented May 18, 1915.

the essential parts of the pipe connection.

Fig. 2 is a rear view elevation of the trip and track detent at the moment of being actuated. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view, partly in cross-section, of thecylinders operating the release mechanism of the compressed air in the train pipe, and a side view of the connected valve chamber controlling the compressed air, which works. at operating the cylinder. Fig. 4. is a vertical section ofthe valve chamber ofFig. 3; Fig. 5`is an ,outside perspective view of the same valve chamber showing the ends and pivots of the levers which work the same. Fig. 6 is a cross-section of the valve chamber of Fig.4 4; on--the line -w.

. A is a part of the frame of a locomotive at one of they driving wheels, carrying the trip which starts the automatic train-stop-` ping mechanism. j

B is the track detent, located midway between therails, and consisting preferably of a long strip which may be raised in the middle by the arm b, by a chain of rods and levers not shown, byv connecting the same with the lever of a signal tower of a railroad which sets the semaphores controlling the speed and stops of trains; and this' track detent B when set for operating the train-stopping mechanism provides a y'slightly inclined path in either direction forV the trip. j

. C is the valve chamber containing the piston c which controls the compressed air which operates the piston D in the cylinder E,.and the piston rod F carrying the fixed collar G, and the enlarged parts H and H.

I is a compressed air cylinder, the air `from which is controlled by` a stop-cock i.

. K is the train pipe carrying compressed air for operating'the brake in well known G' is larger than the piston F, but of the same size as the enlarged portions H and H', which makes a sliding fit in the opening G'. The gradually repeated, intermittent application of the brakes is effected by one movement of the piston D, the piston-rod F bearing the collar G, and the enlargements H and H. Traveling to the right when the collar G moves away from the opening Gr air escapes from the chamber L and from the train-pipe H, applying gradually the brakes until the enlargement H on the pis- 'ton F reaches the opening G and closes it.

Passing through this opening, air is again released from the chamber L, while the piston-rod between the enlargements H and H' is traversing the opening Gr and is again stopped by the enlargement H', in turn reaching and closing the opening G.

M is a spring of sufcient tension to move the piston-rod F and piston D to the left when the air pressure from the tank T through the valve chamber C is released.

The trip will be readily understood from Figs. 1 and 2, but I will give the following details: N is a roller which is idle in all running conditions except when it encounters the track detent B, when the latter is raised. D is a forked rod carrying the roller N, and the slide P in the guide Q. 1, 2, 3 and 4 are braces holding the guide Q in position, and attaching the trip to the frame A. R is a lever pivoted to a fulcrum, r, and to the rod O at r'. At r" it is pivoted to the upright S, which extends into the cab of the engine in a place convenient to the handv of the engineer. Passing through the guide Q',

- it actuates by the collars s and s" the levers T and T, which in turn actuate the valve stems U and U' simultaneously, thus opening the valve C and closing the valve c by one movement of the upright S. V is a catch which engages a notch /v in the upright S, when S is raised to its position to operate the train-stopping mechanism, by the lever V', near the hand of the engineer, the catch V is withdrawn and releases the upright S, which by its weight falls to its idle position after having passed the track detent B.

Wis the compressed-air pipe leading from the tank I to the valve chamber C.

Y is the pipe connection leading from the r chamber C to the cylinder E.

The operation of my improved automatic train-stopping mechanism is as follows: The track detent is so connected with the levers operating the danger signal in the signal tower as to be raised in the middle, but not at either end, vwhenever the semaphore is yset to danger. The roller N rides up on the track detent whether the engine is running forward or backward when approaching the trac A detent. The forked rod 0, the lever R raise the rod S, so that the catch V engages the notch v, thus holding the rod S in its uppermost position after the roller N has passed the track detent B, as well as before. The movement of the upright S actuates the levers T and T' opening the valve c, and closing the valve 0', by the simultaneous movement of the valve stems U and U downward in the valve chamber C. By this movement, compressed air from the tank I through the pipe W, intothe chamber C, and out through the pipe Y, into the cylinder E, moves the piston D, the pistonrod F the collar Gr and the enlargements H and H' slightly to the right, against the ten sion of the spring M, the collar G leaving its seat, thus clears the opening G', and compressed air from the chamber L in the trainpipe K rushes out, relieving gradually the pressure in the train-pipe K, and thus applying the brakes gradually. By the further progress of the piston rod F to the right, the enlarged part H then fills the opening G', and interrupts the outward rush of air from the chamber L in the train-pipe K, allowing the pressures to equalize throughout the train, thus preventing the application of the brakes strongly on the cars next the engine, and not at all on those on the rear end of the train. The further slow progress of the piston F to the right again opens the opening Gr', and more compressed air leaves the train pipe with a still stronger application of the brakes, when again the outrush of air is stopped by the enlargement H', stopping the opening G', and there the brakes remain applied until the engineer releases the catch V by the hand movement of the lever V. The fall of the upright S through the levers T and T' closes the valve c', thus simultaneously stopping the rush of compressed air from the tank l through W, chamber C and valve c to the operating cylinder E, and relieving the pressure on the piston D by exhausting to the air the compressed air through the valves c', whereupon the spring M operates to move the piston-rod F and the piston D to the left yto its original position shown in the drawings,thus closing the opening G by the collar G, thus allowing the trainipe K to regain its normal pressure and release the brakes.

Numerous changes in detail and in valve mechanism may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What T claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In an automatic train-stopping mechanism, a track detent, a trip, a tank containing compressed air, a piston and cylinder, a train pipe containing compressed air, means operated by said trip for admitting compressed air from the compressed-air tank to the piston, means whereby one complete continuous movement of the piston automatically and land State of Massachusetts, this 30th day of repeatedly opens and closes the air release October, 1913. from the train-pipe, thereby releasing air from the train-pipe gradually and intermit- V GEORGE W' BROWNELL 5 tently. Y In presence of- In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my l REGINALD B. SIMPSON, hand at the city of Boston, county of Suffolk FRED J. BUNTIN.

Copies of thisrpatent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patenti,

Washington, D. C. 

